STRATFORD-upon-Avon RFC lost 43-21 away at local rivals Shipston-on-Stour to suffer a fourth successive away defeat.
Tries from Chris Bolton, Jake Lowe and George Fox proved in vain as Stratford just missed out on a try bonus point at Mayo Road.
And the result means Stratford sit eighth in the Regional 2 Midlands West table.
The visitors were without captain Tom Stanley through illness with Ben Cole and Dan Whitby stuck at work and unable to arrive in time for kick-off.
Shipston scored the game’s first try after bursting through a gap to break the deadlock before Stratford then lost Michael Dawes to a yellow card for a high tackle.
The home side made the most of the extra man to score their second try inside the opening 10 minutes before kicking a penalty to stretch their lead.
And an intercept try from 60-metres out, despite the best efforts of Stratford debutant Jamie Jones, saw Shipston take a 22-point lead.
Stratford eventually troubled the scoreboard when Bolton jinked his way through a gap following a series of penalties close to the Shipston line as Gwilym Davis added the extras.
A superb tackle from Lowe kept Stratford in the game before the break as he held up a Shipston player over the line who looked certain to score.
And Stratford reduced the deficit to eight points early in the second period when Lowe dotted down from 10-metres out following a lineout and Whitby kicked the conversion.
However, Shipston ran in three tries to take the game out of Stratford’s reach.
The visitors scored the game’s final try when Fox finished in the corner after good work from Lowe as Whitby added the extras.
Stratford are next in action away at Edwardians on Saturday, November 30 with kick-off at 2.15pm at Streetsbrook Road.
